T2-Mini Panel
As part of my PPS logging system, I wanted to have the capability of measuring oscillators that did not have their own PPS output chains. The TAPR T2-Mini PPS divider is a perfect match for this application. I laid out a panel using the Front Panel Express design tool to mount 4 T2-Minis in a 2U height. Here's the result (click on the image to see a higher-resolution version):
If you'd like to order your own panel from Front Panel Express, here is the design file.
The dividers are wired so that the SYNC input pins are in parallel, driven by the BNC jack on the left side. Each divider has its own push-button ARM switch. This allows great flexibility:
- When the source for one divider is changed, it can be resynchronized by pushing its ARM button and applying a sync pulse. The other dividers won't be affected.
- If you want to synchronize all the dividers, push each start button in turn and then apply the sync pulse. All the outputs will now be aligned (within the granularity of each divider, based on its input frequency).
Using the T2-Mini's selection jumpers, I am currently setting one divider for a 1 MHz input, two for 5 MHz input, and one for 10 MHz input. It's fairly easy to change the jumpers by removing the panel mounting screws and tilting it out from the rack. (I thought about providing switches to allow setting the input frequency of each divider from the front panel, but the space and wiring requirements were too daunting.)